206 INVESTIGATIONS IN MORAY FRITH, 1897. 



of the incursions of foreign ships. It has also been proved that 

 fine haddocks were in great numbers beyond the closed area. 

 The diminution, therefore, was local diminution, a feature of 

 perennial occurrence in all seas. 



The maximum month, so far as the statistics go, for haddocks 

 on the outer stations (VII. to XVI.), which may now be con- 

 sidered, was also October, and the average for this month is 

 about double that next in order, viz. May, while July, August, 

 November and June follow with diminishing averages \ The 

 total average for the outer stations is more than six times 

 that for the inner. 



The average for the first year (1893) was 97 haddocks per 

 haul, the work being done in May and October, months having 

 the highest averages for this fish in the returns. Next year a 

 great increase occurred, viz. an average of 158 per haul, the 

 experiments having been carried out in October and July, the 

 latter having an average of 63. Next year (1895) the average 

 fell to about a third of the last-mentioned, viz. 52, the working- 

 periods being in July and August, the latter having an average 

 of 39, and thus the captures correspond with what may be 

 termed the normal. In 1896, a diminution, due to other causes 

 than those connected with the periods, had taken place. A 

 similar reduction is present in the captures by the liners. In 

 1897, work was carried on in June and November, months 

 having an average of 20 and 25. The actual captures gave an 

 average of 17, the lowest in the series, or 5 under the normal. 

 The returns of the liners also show a diminution. 



In respect to the haddock, therefore, there is little to satisfy 

 the country, and especially men of science, as to the propriety 

 of the closure of this great area. If experience, indeed, did not 

 show that variations in areas are common, and that no lack of 

 haddocks existed in hundreds of square miles beyond the area, 

 the Fishery Board, so far as the work of the " Garland " is 

 concerned, is confronted with anything but success in its 

 efforts to increase the products of the sea by controlling the 

 " spawning grounds." 



Of the other fishes the lemon-dab was twice as common as 



1 No work was carried on in April and September on the outer stations. 



